Caracterização e viabilidade socioeconômica da pesca de lagosta viva na praia da Caponga, Cascavel, Estado do Ceará

Abstract

This paper is meant as an outcome of the development of the “Live Lobster” Project which was supported by the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture (MPA), and it was carried out in Caponga Beach, Ceará State, Brazil. The goal of this project was to assess the socioeconomic viability of the exploitation of live whole lobsters instead of the usual lobster tails. The acclimatization experiment of the individuals was developed in a set of three fiberglass tanks, each one with dimensions of 8.0 m2 in area and 4.0 m3 in volume. The results of the evaluation process was divided into two phases: (1) attempt of community involvement in the effort to land live lobsters, and to carry through its acclimatization and ensuing marketing; (2) simulation of the effect of various rates of utilization of the lobster in its live form on total revenues. The marketing structure in Caponga Beach is composed of three elements: producer (fisherman), middleman and businessman. The results of this simulation exercise have shown that the marketing of live lobster accounts for increasing revenues which varied from 0.85% to 8.87% of the total economic receipts when 10% and 50% of the catch, respectively, were sold as live lobster.